1, 2. Iziphi izinselele abantu abaningi ababethuthele kwamanye amazwe ababhekana nazo lapho bebuyela emakhaya? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.)

“NGESIKHATHI ngisebenza kwelinye izwe, nganginomsebenzi omuhle futhi ngihola kahle,” kusho u-Eduardo. * “Kodwa lapho ngiqala ukufunda iBhayibheli noFakazi BakaJehova, ngabona ukuthi nginomthwalo wemfanelo obaluleke kakhudlwana—ukunakekela umndeni wami ngokomoya, hhayi nje ngokwenyama kuphela. Ngakho ngabuyela ekhaya.”—Efe. 6:4.

² U-Eduardo wayazi ukuthi wajabulisa uJehova ngokubuyela ekhaya. NjengoMarilyn, okukhulunywe ngaye esihlokweni esandulele, u-Eduardo kwadingeka aqale umsebenzi omkhulu wokulungisa ubuhlobo bakhe nomndeni wakhe. Wabhekana nanenselele yokondla umkakhe nezingane ezweni eliphansi kakhulu ngokwezomnotho. Wayezoziphilisa kanjani? Yiluphi usizo ayengalulindela kwabanye ebandleni?

3. Ukungabikho komzali kuzithinta kanjani izingane?

³ U-Eduardo uyavuma: “Ngangazi ukuthi ngangishiye izingane zami ngesikhathi ezazidinga ngaso kakhulu isiqondiso nothando lwami. Ngangingekho ukuze ngizifundele izindaba zeBhayibheli,  ngithandaze nazo, ngizigone futhi ngidlale nazo.” (Dut. 6:7) Indodakazi yakhe endala, u-Anna, iyakhumbula: “Ngangizizwa ngingalondekile ngokomzwelo ngenxa yokungabi nobaba ekhaya. Lapho ebuya ekhaya, sasazi izwi lakhe nobuso kuphela. Ngangingakhululeki lapho enganga.”

4. Ukungabikho komyeni kuyiphazamisa kanjani indima yakhe njengenhloko?

⁴ Ukungabikho kukababa kuphazamisa nendima yakhe njengenhloko. Umka-Eduardo, uRuby, uyachaza: “Kwakudingeka ngifeze izindima ezimbili—ekamama nekababa—futhi ngajwayela ukwenza izinqumo eziningi zomndeni. Lapho u-Eduardo esebuyile ekhaya, kwadingeka ngifunde ukuthi kusho ukuthini ngempela ukuzithoba kobuKristu. Ngisho namanje, ngezinye izikhathi kuye kudingeke ngizikhumbuze ukuthi ukhona manje umyeni wami.” (Efe. 5:22, 23) U-Eduardo uyanezela: “Amantombazane ayesejwayele ukuyicela kunina imvume yokwenza izinto. Njengabazali, sabona ukuthi kwakudingeka sibonise izingane zethu ukuthi sibambisene, futhi kwadingeka ngifunde ukuhola ngendlela yobuKristu.”

5. Ubaba othile waqala kanjani ukulungisa umonakalo owabangelwa ukungabikho kwakhe, futhi waba yini umphumela?

⁵ U-Eduardo wayezimisele ukwenza konke angakwenza ukuze alungise ubuhlobo bakhe nomndeni wakhe futhi akhe nengokomoya lawo. “Umgomo wami kwakuwukugxilisa iqiniso ezinganeni zami ngezwi nangesibonelo—kungabi nje ngokusho ukuthi ngiyamthanda uJehova kodwa ngikubonise.” (1 Joh. 3:18) Ingabe uJehova wazibusisa izenzo zika-Eduardo zokholo? U-Anna uyaphendula, “Ukumbona ezikhandla ukuze abe ubaba omuhle futhi aphinde asondelane nathi kwenza umehluko omkhulu. Lapho simbona ezama ukufinyelela amalungelo ebandleni, saziqhenya ngaye. Izwe lalizama ukusehlukanisa noJehova. Kodwa sabona abazali bethu begxile eqinisweni, ngakho nathi sazama ukwenza okufanayo. Ubaba wasithembisa ukuthi ngeke aphinde asishiye, futhi akaphindanga. Ukube wasishiya futhi, cishe ngabe angikho enhlanganweni kaJehova namuhla.”

6. Isiphi isifundo abanye abazali abasifunda ngesikhathi sempi?

⁶ Okunye okuhlangenwe nakho kubonisa ukuthi ngesikhathi sempi eBalkans, abantwana boFakazi BakaJehova ababehlala khona babejabula naphezu kwezimo zokuphila ezinzima. Kungani? Ngenxa yokuthi abazali babengakwazi ukuya emsebenzini, babehlala emakhaya bafunde, badlale futhi baxoxe nezingane zabo. Kusifundisani lokhu? Izingane zidinga ukuba nabazali bazo ngaphezu kwemali noma izipho. Ngempela, njengoba iZwi likaNkulunkulu lisho, izingane ziyozuza uma zinakwa futhi ziqeqeshwa abazali.—IzAga 22:6.

7, 8. (a) Iliphi iphutha abanye abazali ababuyela emakhaya abalenzayo? (b) Abazali bangazisiza kanjani izingane zabo ukuba zinqobe imizwa engakhi?

⁷ Ngokudabukisayo, lapho izingane zibacasukela noma zingabanaki, abanye abazali ababuyayo baye bathi, “Kungani ningabongi ngakho konke enginenzele khona?” Nokho, ngokwengxenye enkulu isimo sengqondo esingesihle sezingane kungenzeka sabangelwa ukungabikho kwabazali. Yini umzali angayenza ukuze alungise lesi simo?

⁸ Cela uJehova ukuba akusize ubonise ukuqonda okwengeziwe emndenini wakho. Lapho uxoxa nomndeni wakho yibe usuvuma futhi wamukele ukuthi nawe unecala kule nkinga. Kungasiza ukuxolisa ngokusuka enhliziyweni. Njengoba oshade naye nezingane zakho bebona ukuthi uyazama ukulungisa izinto, bayobubona ubuqotho bakho. Ngokuzimisela nangesineke, ngokuhamba kwesikhathi ungaphinde uluthole uthando nenhlonipho emndenini wakho.

9. Kungani ‘ukondla abendlu’ yethu kungafanele kudinge ukuba silokhu silwela ukuthola izinto ezengeziwe ezibonakalayo?

⁹ Umphostoli uPawulu wathi lapho amaKristu asekhulile engasakwazi ukuzondla,  izingane zawo nabazukulu kufanele ‘bakhokhe imbuyiselo abayikweleta abazali babo nabazali babazali babo.’ Kodwa uPawulu waqhubeka wanxusa wonke amaKristu ukuba aneliseke ngezidingo zawo zosuku—ukudla, okokwembatha nendawo yokufihla ikhanda. Akufanele silokhu silwela ukufinyelela izinga lokuphila eliphakeme noma ikusasa elilondekile ngokwezimali. (Funda eyoku-1 Thimothewu 5:4, 8; 6:6-10.) Ukuze ‘ondle abendlu yakhe,’ umKristu akudingeki afune ingcebo yezinto ezibonakalayo kuleli zwe elizodlula maduze. (1 Joh. 2:15-17) Akufanele sivumele “amandla engcebo okukhohlisa” noma ‘izinkathazo zokuphila’ kwenze umndeni ube sengozini yokwehluleka ‘ukubamba ukuphila kwangempela’ ezweni elisha likaNkulunkulu!—Marku 4:19; Luka 21:34-36; 1 Thim. 6:19.

10. Singakubonisa kanjani ukuhlakanipha okuvela kuNkulunkulu endabeni yokwandisa izikweletu?

¹⁰ UJehova uyazi ukuthi siyayidinga imali. Kodwa imali ayinakusivikela futhi isisekele ngendlela ukuhlakanipha kukaNkulunkulu okungenza ngayo. (UmSh. 7:12; Luka 12:15) Ezimweni eziningi, abantu bawuthatha kancane umonakalo obangelwa ukuyosebenza kwelinye izwe, futhi asikho isiqinisekiso sokuthi bazoyenza imali kulawo mazwe. Empeleni, kunezingozi ezinkulu. Abantu abaningi abathuthela kwelinye izwe babuya sebenezikweletu ezinkulu nakakhulu. Kunokuba bakhonze uNkulunkulu ngokukhululekile, bagcina sebeyizigqila zalabo ababakweleta imali. (Funda izAga 22:7.) Inkambo yokuhlakanipha iwukukugwema zisuka ukuzifaka ezikweletini.

11. Ukunamathela ohlelweni lokusebenzisa imali kungayisiza kanjani imindeni ukuba inciphise izinkinga zezimali?

¹¹ U-Eduardo wayazi ukuthi ukuze isinqumo sakhe sokuhlala nomndeni wakhe siphumelele, kwakudingeka ayisebenzise ngokuhlakanipha imali. Yena nomkakhe benza uhlelo lokusebenzisa imali olusekelwe ezintweni abazidinga ngempela. Uhlelo lokusebenzisa imali lwathi ukuqina kunalokho umndeni owawukujwayele. Kodwa wonke amalungu omndeni abambisana futhi awazange asebenzise imali ezintweni ezingabalulekile. * U-Eduardo uthi, “Ngokwesibonelo, ngazikhipha izingane zami ezikoleni ezibiza kakhulu futhi ngazitholela izikole zomphakathi ezingcono.” Yena nomndeni wakhe bathandazela ukuba athole umsebenzi owawungeke uphazamise isimiso sabo esingokomoya. UJehova wayiphendula kanjani imithandazo yabo?

12, 13. Iziphi izinyathelo ezingokoqobo omunye ubaba azithatha ukuze asekele umndeni wakhe, futhi uJehova wakubusisa kanjani ukuzimisela kwakhe ukugcina ukuphila kulula?

¹² U-Eduardo uyakhumbula, “Sadonsa kanzima iminyaka emibili. Imali engangiyibekile yayiphela, iholo lami eliwubala lalingakwazi njalo ukukhokhela zonke izindleko, futhi ngangihlale ngikhathele. Kodwa sasikwazi ukuya kuyo yonke imihlangano nasenkonzweni yasensimini ndawonye.” U-Eduardo wanquma enhliziyweni yakhe ukuba angacabangi nakucabanga ngamathuba emisebenzi ayezomqhelelanisa nomndeni wakhe izinyanga noma iminyaka. Uthi, “Kunalokho, ngafunda ukwenza imisebenzi ehlukahlukene ukuze uma lungekho olunye uhlobo, ngenze olunye.”

¹³ Ngenxa yokuthi u-Eduardo kwakudingeka akhokhe izikweletu zakhe kancane kancane, kwadingeka akhokhe inzalo eyengeziwe emalini ayeyibolekile. Kodwa lokhu wakubheka njengento encane uma kuqhathaniswa nokuhlanganyela nomndeni wakhe kuzo zonke izici zokuphila kwawo, njengoba nje uJehova efisa ukuba abazali benze kanjalo. U-Eduardo uthi, “Imali engiyiholayo manje ayenzi ngisho namaphesenti ayishumi aleyo engangiyihola kwelinye izwe, kodwa asikaze silale singadlile. ‘Isandla sikaJehova asisifushane.’ Empeleni, sanquma ukuphayona. Kuyathakazelisa ukuthi ngemva kokwenza kanjalo, isimo somnotho saba ngcono futhi kwaba lula nokuthola izinto esizidingayo.”—Isaya 59:1.

14, 15. Imindeni ingabhekana kanjani nengcindezi yokubeka izinto ezibonakalayo kuqala kunezingokomoya, futhi ungaba yini umphumela uma ibeka isibonelo esihle?

¹⁴ Ezindaweni eziningi, abantu bazizwa bebophekile ukuba baphe izihlobo nabangane imali nezipho. U-Eduardo uyachaza, “Ukupha kuyisiko lethu futhi siyakujabulela.” Kodwa uyanezela: “Ngiyalinganisela. Ngizichazela kahle izihlobo zami ukuthi ngizozinika lokho enginamandla okuzinika khona ngaphandle kokubeka engcupheni izidingo nesimiso somndeni wami esingokomoya.”

¹⁵ Labo ababuyela emakhaya nalabo abenqabayo ukushiya imindeni yabo beyosebenza kwelinye izwe bavame ukubhekana nentukuthelo, ukwedelelwa nendumalo yezihlobo okungenzeka bezilindele ukondliwa yibo. Ezinye zithi abanalo uthando. (IzAga 19:6, 7) U-Anna, indodakazi ka-Eduardo, uyaphawula: “Noma kunjalo, uma senqaba ukudela izinto ezingokomoya ukuze sizuze ezingokwenyama, ezinye izihlobo zethu zingagcina zibonile ukuthi ukuphila kwethu kobuKristu kubaluleke kangakanani. Kodwa ziyokuqonda kanjani lokhu uma senza lokho okufunwa yizo?”—Qhathanisa neyoku-1 Petru 3:1, 2.

16. (a) Umuntu ‘angazikhohlisa kanjani ngokucabanga okungamanga’? (Jak. 1:22) (b) Uhlobo olunjani lwezinqumo uJehova alubusisayo?

¹⁶ Lapho efika ezweni elichumayo eshiye umyeni nezingane zakhe, udade othile watshela abadala: “Kuye kwadingeka sizidele kakhulu ukuze ngize lapha. Kuye kwadingeka nokuba umyeni wami ayeke ukukhonza njengomdala. Ngakho ngithemba ukuthi uJehova uzosibusisa lesi sinyathelo.” UJehova uhlale ezibusisa izinqumo ezisekelwe okholweni kodwa angasibusisa kanjani isinqumo esingahambisani nentando yakhe, ikakhulukazi uma sihilela ukudela amalungelo angcwele ngokungenasidingo?—Funda amaHebheru 11:6; 1 Johane 5:13-15.

17. Kungani kufanele sifune isiqondiso sikaJehova ngaphambi kokwenza izinqumo, futhi singakwenza kanjani lokho?

¹⁷ Funa isiqondiso sikaJehova ngaphambi kokwenza izinqumo noma kokuzibophezela, hhayi kamuva. Thandazela umoya wakhe ongcwele, ukuhlakanipha nesiqondiso  sakhe. (2 Thim. 1:7) Zibuze: ‘Ngilalela uJehova ngaphansi kwaziphi izimo? Ingabe ngiyamlalela nalapho ngibhekene noshushiso?’ Uma kunjalo, uyamlalela yini nalapho ukwenza kanjalo kusho ukwehlisa izinga lokuphila kwakho? (Luka 14:33) Cela iseluleko esingokomBhalo kubadala, futhi ubonise ukholo nokwethembela esithembisweni sikaJehova sokuthi uyokusiza lapho ulalela iseluleko sakhe. Abadala ngeke bakwenzele izinqumo, kodwa bangakusiza unqume ngendlela eyogcina iholele enjabulweni.—2 Kor. 1:24.

18. Kuyisibopho sikabani ukondla umndeni, kodwa iziphi izimo ezinganika abanye ithuba lokusiza?

¹⁸ UJehova unike inhloko yomndeni “umthwalo” wansuku zonke wokondla umndeni wayo. Kufanele sibancome futhi sibathandazele labo abafeza lesi sabelo bengazange bashiye umuntu abashade naye noma izingane, naphezu kwengcindezi nesilingo sokwenza kanjalo. Izimo ezingalindelekile, ezinjengezinhlekelele noma ukugula, zivula ithuba lokuba sibonise uthando lwangempela lobuKristu nokuzwelana. (Gal. 6:2, 5; 1 Pet. 3:8) Ungakwazi yini ukusiza umKristu okanye naye ngemali lapho kuba nesimo esiphuthumayo noma ngokumtholela umsebenzi? Ukusiza ngalezi zindlela kunganciphisa ukucindezeleka okungamenza ashiye umndeni wakhe ayofuna umsebenzi kwelinye izwe.—IzAga 3:27, 28; 1 Joh. 3:17.

19, 20. Kungani kungawaduduza amaKristu ukwazi ukuthi uJehova uyowasiza?

¹⁹ ImiBhalo iyasinxusa: “Indlela yenu yokuphila mayingabi nalo uthando lwemali, naneliswe izinto ezikhona. Ngoba [uNkulunkulu] uthé: ‘Angisoze ngakushiya noma ngikulahle nganoma iyiphi indlela.’ Ukuze sibe nesibindi futhi sithi: ‘UJehova ungumsizi wami; ngeke ngesabe. Umuntu angangenzani?’ ” (Heb. 13:5, 6) Kusebenza kanjani lokhu?

²⁰ Umdala onokuhlangenwe nakho ezweni elisathuthuka uthi, “Abantu bavame ukuphawula indlela oFakazi BakaJehova abajabule ngayo. Baphawula nokuthi ngisho noFakazi abampofu bahlale begqoke kahle futhi babonakala bephila kangcono kunabanye abantu.” Lokhu kuhambisana nesithembiso uJesu asenza kulabo ababeka uMbuso kuqala. (Math. 6:28-30, 33) Yebo, uYihlo osezulwini, uJehova, uyakuthanda futhi ufuna wena nezingane zakho nithole okungcono kakhulu kuphela. “Ngokuqondene noJehova, amehlo akhe aqalaza kuwo wonke umhlaba ukuze abonise amandla akhe ngenxa yalabo abanhliziyo yabo iphelele kuye.” (2 IziKr. 16:9) Usinike imiyalo yakhe esizuzisayo ehlanganisa nephathelene nokuphila komndeni nezidingo ezingokwenyama. Lapho siyilandela, sibonisa ukuthi siyamthanda nokuthi sithembele kuye. “Yilokhu okushiwo uthando ngoNkulunkulu, ukuba sigcine imiyalo yakhe; futhi imiyalo yakhe ayiwona umthwalo.”—1 Joh. 5:3

21, 22. Kungani uzimisele ukubonisa ukuthi wethembele kuJehova?

²¹ U-Eduardo uthi, “Ngiyazi ukuthi anginakusibuyisa isikhathi engasichitha ngikude nomkami nezingane zami, kodwa angigxili ezintweni engizisola ngazo. Abantu abaningi engangisebenza nabo bacebile kodwa abajabule. Imindeni yabo inezinkinga ezinkulu. Nokho, umndeni wethu uyajabula kakhulu! Kungihlaba umxhwele ukubona abanye abazalwane abampofu kuleli zwe bebeka izinto ezingokomoya kuqala ekuphileni kwabo. Sonke siyakubona ukuba iqiniso kwesithembiso sikaJesu.”—Funda uMathewu 6:33.

²² Yiba nesibindi! Khetha ukulalela uJehova futhi wethembele kuye. Uthando lwakho ngoNkulunkulu, umuntu oshade naye nezingane zakho, malukushukumisele ukuba ufeze umthwalo wakho ongokomoya emndenini wakho. Ngenxa yalokho, uyozibonela ukuthi ‘uJehova ungumsizi wakho.’